Pools Conca Verde Srl, Italy, 1996* Zia Silvana wears fairytale-apple red onher lips a black bathing suit, her breastsheave in the dazzling sun. The pool stretchesbefore me, an Italian dare. Hundreds ofpeople gather on a perfect summer afternoonat the waterpark as my stomach stormswith anxiety. Barriers like bricks on chainstied to my throat: can’t speak… Continue reading POEM A DAY – July 4
Tag: youth
POEM A DAY – April 9
*CONTENT WARNING! The subject matter of this poem is about tampons.* I Was Never Afraid of the Tampon I remember me and my best girlfriendshuddled in the pink-tiled bathroom the rusting tub as witnesssquat-standing, legs open likeo’s, arm swooped, hand gripping the plastic applicator shiny with vaseline– vagina somewhere in the arch ofshadows between my trembling thighs… Continue reading POEM A DAY – April 9
VANESSA SHIELDS 